Three years after regularly lobbying the State Government Member for Frome, Geoff Brock MP is delighted there will soon be improvements to the Goyder Highway between Crystal Brook and the Horrock’s Highway.

“I began campaigning for road improvements after the speed limit on this road was reduced to 100kph from 110kph as part of a Statewide review of rural roads which were in poor driving condition,” Mr Brock said.

Of most concern, Mr Brock said, was the speed reduction on the section from Gulnare to Crystal Brook, which was, and still is, in very good condition and should never have been subject to a speed limit change.

Mr Brock first took up the issue with the Minister of the day in mid-2017 and again wrote to the new government in April and July the following year requesting this road be returned to 110kph.

After waiting patiently, he again brought the matter up in Parliament in February 2019, where Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government Stephan Knoll said the government was committed to reinstating the speed limits on eight regional roads, similarly affected by lowered speed limits.

“I am pleased to note that through Australian Government funding through the Rural Roads Safety Package that works have begun to improve several shoulders on the Goyder Highway, which will become part of the move forward to reinstate the higher speed limits.”

Mr Brock said the community would welcome the change back to the 110kph speed limit with 94% of road users surveyed supporting the initiative.

“Farmers and rural road users criticised the drop in speed limits when they occurred, seeing it as a ploy by the Government of the day to avoid costly road upgrades.

“Rural residents are already penalised by having to travel great distances to attend to daily and recreational needs without the added impost of spending more time on the road than necessary.

“We also see frustrated drivers making risky moves trying to overtake trucks, which already have their speed limit capped at 100 km/h.”